Improvement in bureau-bedsteads



UNITED STATES IPATENT OFFICE.

ETHAN IVHITNEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUREAU-BEDSTEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 7,818, dated July 14, 1857.

To all whom it 11m/y concern.'

Be it known thatI, ETHAN VHITNEY, of the city of Boston, in the county of Suifolk, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Im proved Mode of Folding Bedsteads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure lis a plan of the bedstead unfolded and partially drawn from its case, showing its relative position with its case or receptacle A when( in use. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation showing the bedstead folded within its case when not in use. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the case closed, which may represent in external appearance a bureau, desk, or book-case.

I construct the case a with a cleat or 'bracket c, rmly secured to each of the inner sides having a slot or groove d at the desired height from the bottom of the case for the purpose of receiving two projections 7c from the sides of the frame b, thereby supporting one end of the bedstead and also allowing it to be pushed in for the purpose of folding it within the case, as shown in Fig. 3.

The bedstead-frame is provided with two strong hinges beneath at c, forming the principal foldingjoints, and, together with the depth of the frame, prevents deflection.

The outer end of the bedstead is supported by two legs f, situated at the corners g, and secured to the frame?? by hinges h, admitting the legs to be folded toward each other when it is required to inclose the bed. The frame is provided with slats 11 to support the bed or mattress, which should be made in two parts, fitting their respective portions of the bedstead (within the sides of the frame)-that is to say, the line of division through the bed should be at the hinges e, that it may present no obstruction to the folding of the bedstead. Should the circumstances require it, the bedstead may be taken from the case by raising the projections 7s from the slats d, through the opening Z, shown in Fig. 3, and then canting the bedstead so as to bring out one projection rst. The front or door ,j may be hinged to the side of the case and open to one side, or hinged to the bottom and open down, or put in as shown in Fig. 3, orotherwise.

The purpose of forming and combining a bedstead and its case in the manner herein described, is to furnish an article much needed in the community and at a rate within the reach of all.

I do not claim so'applying a bedstead to a wardrobe or case as to enable the said bedstead to be turned on hinges or their equivalents from a vertical position in the case to a horizontal position, so as to project from and out of the case; nor do I claim, when separately considered, making a bedstead in two parts hinged together, or making a bedstead or part of the same to slide into a sofa-frame by means of guide-grooves and projections applied to the same, as represented in the patent of A. IValker, dated July 29, 1842; but

That I do claim is- My improved manufacture or bureau-bedstead as constructed, substantially as described-viz., with the bedstead portion made in two parts hinged together, as described, and applied to the case by projections 7c 7o and grooves d d, arranged as specified, in order that the said bedstead may be either folded together and slid back into the case or be drawn forward and out of the case and unfolded or let downinto a horizontal position, as circumstances may require.

ETHAN VHITN EY.

Witnesses:

' G. F. RICHARDSON, SAML. L. HAY. 

